Annapolis, MD – As Americans struggle with record levels of obesity, and billions of dollars are spent on programs and products, a daily email from a doctor may make all the difference in your health.

Dr. Wayne Andersen, best-selling weight-loss author and celebrity health expert, has used the insights and information from his book, Dr. A’s Habits of Health, to develop a free e-mail program that helps participants build healthy habits and create optimal health.

Dr. A’s 30-Day Challenge uses daily tips, reading and activities to help men and women lose weight and work toward achieving their individual health goals. Within the first 30 days, more than 10,000 people have accepted Dr. Andersen’s 30-Day challenge, with thousands continuing through to the subsequent 60-Day and 90-Day Challenges. Each participant earns a certificate of completion of each program, suitable for framing and serving as a daily reminder of their accomplishments.

“The content of the emails are based on my first book, Dr. A’s Habits of Health,” Dr. Andersen said, “but the delivery system—getting an easy to digest email every morning—makes a big difference. It makes weight control more accessible. Can you check your email? Yes? Good. You can get healthy.”

The first cohort completing each of the 30-day challenges will graduate on May 1, the beginning of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.

“For the first 30 days, the major focus is on achieving a healthy mind,” Dr. Andersen said. “Most weight-loss or health programs immediately put you on an unrealistic workout plan or an extreme diet. These may produce results in the short-term, but without understanding the role that habits play in your health, you’re just going to put that weight back on. That’s what makes the Habits of Health approach unique: we fix the mind first.”

On each day of the challenge, Dr. Andersen sends an email early in the morning to participants. Each email teaches about health and presents a task or exercise to complete that day. Some exercises are activity-based, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, while some are more educational, like identifying common daily choices that are unhealthy. Throughout the challenge, participants support each other on Dr. Andersen’s Facebook page, sharing their goals and offering each other encouragement. With comments and replies from Dr. Andersen directly, the virtual support has been well received.

The success of the 30-Day Challenge adds to the thousands of people that Dr. Andersen has helped improve their health through his books, health coaching, and seminars. “Dr. A” expects the challenge to continue to grow as friends and family encourage each other to get healthy, especially as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month brings more attention to the importance of physical activity.

“Health is a marathon, not a sprint,” Dr. Andersen emphasizes. “Little steps add up. These challenges are just the start. Being healthy is a long-term commitment, which is why I am creating contemporary tools, like the 30-Day Challenge and my online community, to provide long-term support. You can get healthy, and I’m here to help.”

Dr. Andersen has spent 18 years as the Director of the Surgical Critical Care Program at Grandview Hospital, where he served as Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology. In 2000, he decided to devote his full energy to helping people to create and maintain health. He is the as the Medical Director of Medifast, Inc and co-founder of Take Shape for Life, a health coaching program supported by more than 10,000 health coaches nationwide. Dr. Andersen is best known as the bestselling author of Dr. A’s Habits of Health, Living a Longer Healthier Life, and the forthcoming Discover Your Optimal Health.

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About Dr. Wayne Andersen

Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Co-Founder of OPTAVIA™ and Leader in Optimal Health. Dr. Andersen has built an integrated support system that helps people make the necessary changes in their lifestyles to create optimal health.

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Dr. Wayne and Lori Andersen on OPTAVIA™
Dr. Wayne and Lori Andersen left traditional medicine in 2001 to create a new model and structure to help people create health in their lives. The result is the creation of OPTAVIA™.